Means for compensating for wear on swab packers



June 18, 1929.

J. T. PHIPPs MEANS FOR COMPENSATING FOR WEAR ON SWAB PACKERS Filed Feb. 18, 1928 "H7-To @N5 f- Patented June 18, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENTk orifice JOHN T. PHIPPS, OF HUNTINGTON PARK, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO MATTIE M. NEWCOMB.

MEANS FOR COMPENSATING FOR WEAR ON SWAB PACKERS.

Application led February 18, 1928. Serial No. 255,383.

My invention relates to swabs such as are used in the oil-well industry.

Preparatory to putting a newly drilled oilwell on production it is necessary to bail out the well or use asuitable swab for bringing to the surface of the ground the rotary mud or other substances filling the tubing in the well. rllhis swab is so constructed that it will pass downward through the mud, and when raised will bring a portion of the material in the tube to the surface ot the ground. This swab has a suitable swab member thereon which engages the inner walls of the tube so as to -lorinr a fluid-tight sliding tit there with.

A tio'lit engagement between the swab and the tubing is sometimes accomplished by longitudinally compressing` the swab member to cause a transverse deformation thereof. This is made possible by forming the swab member ot suitable resilient or compressible material such as rubber or vulcanized canvas fabric. Such a swab member wears away relatively rapidly, and in the past it has been necessary to frequently replace such meinbers. Most of the wear on these swab mem bers takes place at the lower end thereof. I have found it possible to form a swab having a swab member which may be renewed when worn so as to be successfully reused. Jfor a number oit times.

1t an object oi' my invention to provide a swab having an extremely long life.

1t another object of my invention to pro vide a swab having a swab member which may be renewed when worn by a simple adjustinent.

Another object ot my invention is to provide a swab having a swab member in which the entire length oi the member may be utilized to accomplish a very eicient swabbing action. a

1 accomplish these ends by providing an adjusting member adapted to pass over any worn portions ot' the swab member, this adjusting member compressing the swab meinber to cause engagement of a new portion of the swab member with the tube.

It is an object oi my `invention to provide a swab having an adjusting member adapted to iit over a worn portion of a swab member to compress said member.

This adjusting member surrounds the worn portion of the swab member, thus eliminating any tendency for the swab member to blow out adjacent this yworn portion.

It is an object of my invention to provide i a swab which will not blow out when the swab member thereon becomes worn.

Other objects andv advantages of my invention will be made evident hereinafter.

I have illustrated one form o my inven* tion in the accompanying drawing, this form being shown described with particular relation to the oil-well industry without in any way limiting myself to this art.

Referring to the drawing,- i

Fig'. 1 is a partially sectioned view of the Y swab of my invention. y p y i Fig. 2 is an enlargedview showing the manner in which such swabs commonly wear.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view showing my method ot renewing the etleectiveness of the taken raise portions ot'the mate-rial in the tubing-3;

10 to the surface of the ground. The swab 11 has a head 13 which is connected by a socket 14 to a suitable cable or other means which extends upward to the surface of the ground and which is adapted to lower-.and raise the swab 11 in the tubing 10. A squared portion 15 is adapted to receive a suitable wrench when screwing' 'the head 13 and the socket 14 together. Extending downward from the head 13 an inner tube structure 1G having an opening` 17 therethrough7 this tube structure, together with the head 18, forming a supporting structure 18. This opening comn'iunicates with the exterior of' the head 13 by suitable channels 19 extending therethrough. 21 formed between the head 18 and the tube structure 16 is a shoulder member 22. The lower end 'o'l this shoulder member has an annular groove 23 therein, this groove being bounded by radial walls 24 and 25. The shoul Resting against a shoulder der member 22 completely surrounds the f inner tube structure 1G, and .is adapted to receive the upper end of an upper swab meni-` ber 2G, this swab member rhaving an upper surface fitting the contour of the lgroove 23' and the radial walls 24 and 25. The lower Vio ,ber 40 has radial walls 44 end of the upper swab member 26 is formed to engage the upper end of Van upper` compression member 28 which is threadedly secured to the tube structure 16, as indicated by the numeral 29. Openings 30 in the upper compression member 2S form a means ot longitudinally compressing the upper swab member 26 betweenthe upper shoulderV member 22 and the upper compression member 28, this longitudinal compression` causing a transverse deformation of the swab member to cause this swab member to engage the inner surface of the tubing 10.

Slidably secured on the tube structure 16 and bearing against the upper compression member 28 is a lower shoulder member 35. The member` has an annular groove 36 bounded by radial walls 37 and 38 similar to the'upper shoulder member 22.V A lower swab member 40y is adapted to lit in the annular groove 36 and to bear against these radial walls, this swab surrounding, and being"v slidable on, the innertube struct-ure 16. The lower 'endet the lower swab memand 43 joined by a converging wall 45.`

A sleeve member 47 is internally threaded to receive the inner tube structure 16, this sleeve member having an upper face 48V adapted'to bear against the radial wall 43 of the lower swab member 40.

The sleeve member 47 is externally threaded to receive Van adjusting member 49, this adjusting member being much longer than the sleeve member 47, as best shown in Fig.

1. The upper end of the adjusting member has a truste-conical face 52 which is adapted to engage the converging wall of the swab member, and also has a radial wall 53 adapted toengage theradialwall 44 of the lower swab member. Suitable openings 56 are formed in the sleeve member 47 and theadjusting member 49, these holes being adapted to receive suitable wrenches so that these members may be moved relative to each other or relative to the inner tube structure 16. Similar Aopenings 58 are formed in the extreme lower end of theV adjusting member 49 andV are utilized for advancing the adjusting member 49 relative to the sleeve 47. s

Threadedly connected to the lower end of the inner tube structure 16, as indicated at 60, yis aY lower body 61, this body being kept from rotation relative to the tubing structure 16 Vby means of bolts 62 extending through elongated openings 63 in the tube structure.y

Thelower end of the lower body 61 has a valve chamber 65 therein, this chamber being closed at its lower end by aV plug 66 having a seat 67 therein. This seat is adapted to receive a poppet valve 68 which is suitably journalled in a boss 69 of the plug 66. NutsV 7 0 on the poppet valve 68 prevent the valve from leaving the boss 69. The weight of the poppet valve normally keeps the valve seated on the seat 67, but should the pressure below the valve become greater than the pressure above, this valve will open into its dotted line position indicated by the numeral 72, thus allowing luidto escape through openings 7 3 from the plug` 66 into the valve chamber 65.

yllie operation of my invention is as iollowsti rlie shoulder members, compression members, and swab members are suitably assembled on the supporting structure 18. The upper compression member 2S is adjusted so that the upper swab member .will slid-ably engage the inner surface` of the tubing 10. The sleeve-47 and the adjusting member 49 are simultaneously moved relative to the in? ner tubey structure 16 so that the lower swab member 40 is also longitudinally compressed so as to cause it. to engage the inner walls of the tube 10. The swab is then lowered into the well to the required depth. During this lowering, any mud or other substance in the well opens the poppet valve 68 and flows upward through the inner tube 16, as indicated by the arrows 77. rlhus, the swab is easily lowered through this material. lllhen the swab is-raised, however, the poppet valve 68 closes and the material entrapped above the swab 11 will be raised when the swab is raised due to the fluid-` bers andthe tubing.

l have Vtound from experienceV that the lower swab member 40 receives the major portion ot the wear and that this lower swab member becomes worn ina manner similar to that illustrated in Fig. 2, this worn portion being indicated by the numeral 78. Then this occurs, the swab member becomes ineiiective, inasmuch as no longitudinal compressive stress is placedV thereon which will detorm the swab member so as'to engage the tubing 10. Furthermore, there is a danger ot' the swab member blowing out through this worn portion.V Wlhen the swab member becomes worn in a. manner illustrated in 2, a suitable wrench is placed in the openings 58, and the adjusting'member 49 is moved relative to the sleeve member rlhis movement is continued until the. radial wall 53 and the truste-conical portion 52 ot the adjusting member come into engagement with an upper end 79 of the worn portion 7S. Further upward movement ot the adjusting member will put a longitudinal compressive stress on the swab member which will again cause it to dei'orm so as to engage the inner walls of the tubing 10. It should be noted that the adjusting member at this time surrounds the worn portion, thus preventing a blowout of the swab member.

Thisr renewed operation may be continued until the worn portion 78 reaches the upper lll) is necessary to insert a new member. The li'le of the averageswab member is increased many told by the use of my invention, and where it was previously necessary to discard a swab member when itbecame worn .in a manner indicated in Fig. 2, my invention makes it practical to readjust the adjusting member and recompress and reinilorce the swab member so that it is again e'l'l'ective in swabbing the tube l0.

rlhe sleeve 47 may be secured to the lower body (il, instead oit' being` separated therefrom, without departing from the spirit/ ot my invention. Furthernmre, the adjusting member i9 may be made long as desired, so as to be used on any length ot swab member. Furtherinore, a similar adjusting member may be placed on the upper compression member 28, it desired, and l am not limited to the use of two swab members as illustrated.

l claim as my invention:

l. In a swab adapted to Storm a fluid-tight iit with a tubing, the combination of: a supporting structure; a swab member carried by said supporting structure; means for longitudinally compressing said swabmember to cause said member to engage said tubing, said swab member becoming worn through said engagement; and an adjusting member longitudinally movable relative to said swab member to engage a worn portion of said swab member whereby said swab member again engages said tubing.

2. ln a swab adapted to :term a fluid-tight tit with a tubing, the combination of: an .inner structure; a shoulder sru'rounding` said inner structure; a swab member surrounding said inner structure a sleeve member movable relative to said inner structure, said sleeve member compressing said swab member again st said shoulder; and an adjusting member movable relative to said sleeve member to engage said swab member.

3. ln a swab adapted to :term a fluid-tight fit with a tubing, the combination et: an inner structure; a shoulder surrounding said inner structure; a swab member surrounding said inner structure; a sleeve member movable relative to said inner structure, said sleeve n'lelnber compressing said swab member against said shoulder; and an adjusting member movable relative to said sleeve member, said adjusting member filling a worn portion o'l said swab member to cause a new iit between said swab member and said tubing.

4f. ln a swab adapted to form a fluid-tight tit with a tubing, the combination of: anv inner structure; a shoulder surrounding said inner structure; a swab member surrounding said inner structure; a sleeve member threadedly carried by said inner structure, said sleeve member compressing said swab member againstsaid shoulder; and an adjusting member threadedly carried by said sleeve member to engage said swab member.

5'. ln a. swab adapted to term a fluid-tight lit with a tubing, the' eon'ibination of: an inner structure; a shoulder surrounding said inner structure; a swab member surrounding said inn er structure; a. sleeve member threadedly carried by said. inner structure, said sleeve member compressing said swab member against said shoulder; and an adjusting member threadedly carried by said sleeve member, said adjusting member iilling a worn portion oit' said swab member to cause a new tit between said swab member and said tubing. n

6. ln-a swab adapted to torm a Huid-tight lit with a tubing, the combination of: an inner structure; a shoulder surrounding said inner structure; a swab mel'nber surrounding` said inner structure; a lower body adjustable relative to said inner structure; a sleeve member between said lower body and said swab member, said sleeve member compressing said swab member against said shoulder; and an adjusting member movable relative to said sleeve member to engage said swab member. i

7. ln a swab adapted to form a duid-tight lit with a tubing, the combination of: a supporting structure; a swab member carried by said supporting structure and adapted to slidably engage said tubing; and means en'ibracing an end portion of said swab memand slidably adjustable on said end portion to further embrace said end portion to compensate for wear ot the adjacent tubing en gaging surface of said swab member.

8. ln a swab adapted to form a fluid-tight 'lit with a tubing, the combination of: a supporting structure; a swab member carried by said supporting structure and adapted to slidably engage said tubing; and an adjustingmember embracing an end portion of said yswab member and longitudinally adjustable relative to said supporting structure and toy said end portion to further embrace said end portion to compensate for wear oiE the adjacent tubing engaging surface oit said swab member.

ln testimony whereof, l have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this th s d ay of February, 1928.

l Jor-nv r. ri-nrrs. 

